Konoe Nobutada (1565-1614), a high-ranking courtier, lived through the vacillating political power of three successive war lords - Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu. Ohki's talk will examine Nobutada's Waka Byobu, a recent acquisition of the Yale University Art Gallery, and explore how and what led to the birth of his innovative, large-size kana calligraphy. The calligraphy, with animated brushwork, and ingenious spatial distribution manifests Nobutada's determination to imprint the courtly kana writing, which he and his family represented, upon the new order of military might. And yet, his bold calligraphic style reveals the influence of the ethos of the warrior class during his banishment from the capital.

About the Speaker:Sadako Ohki has had a lifelong interest in calligraphy. Her essays include "Rebecca Salter and Japan: Moments Layered in Time, Space, Color, and Line" (Yale Center for British Art, 2011) and "Collage of Painting, Calligraphy, and Poetry: A Study of Taiga's Ink Bamboo with Kanshi Verse" (Philadelphia Taiga exhibition, 2007). Ohki's 2009 exhibition Tea Culture of Japan, held at the Yale University Art Gallery, and the accompanying catalog, were very well received, and ignited much interest in wabi tea art and scholarship. Her other interests include contemporary ink art and ceramic sculptures.